Building construction may utilize a plurality of spaced-apart boards (e.g., wood, metal, composite, etc.) as attached to one or more support members to generally form framing for horizontal (e.g., walls) and vertical (e.g., floors and roofs) structural elements. This type of construction generally requires that the boards have uniform spacing and alignment to support members substantially ensure that resulting structure has the minimum amount of needed support (e.g. load bearing capability) as provided by the boards. This uniform board spacing and alignment may also be required if additional materials and devices that have established dimensions are to be embedded within the completed structural element.
Besides using marking for board spacing and alignment, measured and cut wooden blocks can be as board spacers (e.g., either as movable spacers or as permanent spacers attached to the support members.) When the boards are then attached to the support members between the wooden blocks, the boards can be considered to be properly spaced. The boards can be also fastened to the attached wooden blocks for additional support.
This manner of board spacing, alignment and attachment may result in higher construction costs in the terms of manpower and materials in that construction workers may have to expend additional time to measure and mark support boards or measure, cut and use spacing blocks to otherwise delineate the board attachment points on the support members.
What could be needed is the present invention, which may not only significantly reduce the need to measure and mark the boards' attachment points but may further assist the board attachment to respective structural members as well as further increase the overall structural integrity of the completed structural element. One possible use of the embodiment of the invention could be a construction spacer or bracket having a Y-shaped base. Perpendicularly attached to the Y end of the base could be a pair of spaced-apart J-shaped attachment arms while an L-shaped attachment arm is perpendicularly attached to remaining base end. An outwardly extending lateral arm could be respectively attached to each side of the Y-shaped base proximate to the pair of spaced-apart J-shaped attachment arms. Both the J- and L shaped attachment arms can descend from the underside of the Y-shaped base with the J-shaped attachment arm pair generally facing the L-shaped attachment arm. The two extension supports could further define a C-shaped aperture that can accommodate the second base end of another construction spacer so allow the construction spacers to attach to one another in a sequential and tandem (e.g., front-to-end) manner.
In use, one construction spacer can hold onto a pair of boards in a spaced-apart and parallel orientation with the wide or face portions of the boards facing one another. A second construction spacer can place its pair of spaced-apart J-shaped attachment arms so that the pair straddles the Y-shaped base of the first construction spacer to allow the pair to further attach to the board being held by the first construction spacer's L-shaped attachment arm. In this manner, the second base end of the first construction spacer can be held by the C-shaped aperture of the second construction spacer. A third board could fitted to the L-shaped attachment arm of the second construction spacer with a third construction spacer repeating the pattern of J-shaped attachment arm attachment. Additional construction spacers could be added in this manner until all the boards of the set forming the structural element are attached and supported by the construction spacers. As needed to complete the structural element, the extension arms may be used to attach the respective construction spacer to the set of boards; abutting special members; or to abutting boards from other sets of boards. In this manner, the construction spacers can be linked in tandem in a way that may be perpendicular to the relative orientation of the spaced-apart boards forming the structural element.